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Backcountry Huts
• The6-bunkOldWomanHut,4kilometressouthofDuffersSaddle
• The3-bunkBoundaryand5-bunkNicholsonsHutsintheUpperFraserBasin
• The6-bunkJunctionHut,atthejunctionofthePomahakaandLittlePomahakaRivers.
Note:JunctionHutisjointlyownedbyDOCandtheGunnfamilyandisclosedfortheautumnmuster,1ApriltothesecondweekofMay.
TheOldWomanandJunctionHutsarestandardhuts,adults$5anight.Bothhutshaveanhonestybox,andhutticketscanbeboughtfromDOCofficesnationwide.BoundaryandNicholsonHutsarebasichutsandfreeofcharge.
Further Information
ForfurtherinformationandcurrentconditionsonKopuwai,contactDOC’sCentralOtagoAreaOfficeorCentralOtagoinformationcentres.
Ramblingaround KopuwaiKopuwai Conservation Area
Coverphoto–Kopuwai/Obelisk (JohnRobinson)Published by Department of ConservationPO Box 5244, Moray PlaceDunedin 9016. June 2008. © Crown Copyright.
Access
Theuseof4WDvehiclesandtrailbikeswithinKopuwaiislimitedtotheformedtracksmarkedonthemap.Vehicleshavealreadydoneconsiderabledamagetofragileareas.Thisleadstosevereerosion,washouts,andascarred,landscape.Recoverycantakemanyyears–ifever!
Kopuwaihasseveralentrypoints,theProspectHill,OmeoGullyTracksandSymesRoadaregoodexamples.Accesstotheconservationareaisondry-weather,largelyun-maintainedlegalroads.Inwinter,becauseofsnowandgroundconditionstheybecomeimpassableandareclosed.
VehicleaccessalongthetopoftheOldManRangeasfarasHydeRocktothesouthand,theTVtowerbyKopuwai/TheObelisktothenorth,isfromSymesRoad,straightupthehillfromFruitlands.
TheDuffersSaddleentranceisreachedviaBannockburnandtheroadtotheNevisValley.Justoverthebrow,theOldWomanTrackgoesofftotheleftandclimbstotheKopuwaientranceaboutfourkilometresaway.TheOldWomanHutisjustinsideKopuwai’sboundaryandvehiclescancontinuetoBoundaryGate–4WDaccessbeyondthisrequireslandownerpermission.Walking,bikingandhorseaccessisonamarkedtrack,bycourtesyofthelandowner.Headingsouthintheconservationareaawell-definedwalking,bikingandhorsetrackleadstoHydeRockontopoftherange.Theother4WDaccesspointisfromShingleCreek,viatheWaikaiaBushRoad.
Severalaccessroutescrossprivatelandoneasementsforwalkersandmountainbikersonly–vehiclesneedlandownerpermission.PleaserespectlivestockandpropertyandfollowtheinstructionsonDOCsigns.Leavegatesasyoufindthemandusestileswherethey’reprovided.
Thisareaissubjecttoweatherextremesatanytimeofyearandroadscanbecomeverywetandswampy.DOC’sCentralOtagoAreaOfficeinAlexandracanadviseoncurrentconditions.
General
Inwintertherangesareblanketedinsnow.Insummer,warm,pleasantconditionscanreversewithinminuteswithfreezingtemperatures,highwindsandsevere,disorientatingwhite-outs.Sensibleclothingandfootwearisessential.
Arapuwaipakiwaitaraorstory,recallsatimewhenhuntingpartiesfromcoastalsettlementsventuringintotheinterioroftendisappearedwithouttrace.ThiswasbecauseofagiantcalledKopuwaiwholivedneartheClutha/Mata-AuRiverandpreyedonhumanswithapackofferocioustwo-headeddogs.ThepakiwaitararecallswhenKopuwaifoundapartyfromtheKaitangataareaandkilledallofthem,exceptforayoungwomancalledKaiamio.Hetookherashisslave.
Fearsomeashewas,Kopuwaihadoneweakness;warm,nor-westwindsmadehimsleepy.Hewasawareofthisandknewthatwhenhenoddedoff,Kaiamiowouldattempttoescape.Wheneverhefeltdrowsy,Kopuwaitiedataura/flaxropetoherarm;ifeitherofthemmoved,he’dknowthatshewasstillthere.Despitethat,Kaiamiowasabletooutwithimandescape.Sheundidthetauraonherarmandtiedittoanearbyrush/wïwï,sothatwhenthegiantstirred,hefelttheropegiveandtake,asifhisslavewastetheredtohim.
WhenKopuwaiwokeandsawthatKaiamowasgone,hewasenraged.Insearchingforher,hepickedupherscentinthewindalongtheMata-Au.ThiswaswhenKopuwailiveduptothemeaningofhisname–water-swallower–asintryingtorecaptureherheswallowedsomuchoftheriverthatitsbedwasdryforsometime.
InthemeantimeKaiamohadescapedtoherhomeonthecoast.IntentonseekingherrevengefromKopuwai,shereturnedwithapartyofwarriorsandtheywaitedforanor-westwindtoputthegianttosleep.Whenthewindarrived,thewarriorsblockedthefrontofthegiant’scavewithdrybrackenandfernsandlitthem.ThesmokefinallywokeKopuwaiandhetriedtoescapethroughaportalinthecave’sroof.Asheemerged,Kaiamo’swarpartygrabbedhimandbeathimtodeath.
KillingKopuwaiwaspossiblebecausehisferocious,two-headeddogswereawayhunting.Whentheyreturnedandfoundtheirmastergonetheysearched,butinvain.Intime,thedogsalsodiedandbecametransformedintowhatarenowrockyoutcropsonhilltopsbetweentheOldManRange/KopuwaiandSouthCanterbury.
TodayKopuwailivesonattheheartoftheconservationareainhisphysicalmanifestation,the26-metrerock,Kopuwai,alsoknownastheObeliskorOldManRock.TheareaaroundtherockistheKopuwaiHistoricReserve;aNgäiTahuClaimsettlementoutcomeitisawähitaoka,aspecialplace.
Kopuwai Conservation Area
TheKopuwaiConservationAreacoverstheuplandsandsomeoftheflanksoftheOldMan/KopuwaiandOldWomanRangesthatformanimposingbackdroptotheClutha/Mata-AuValley.Theyrunfromnorth-westtosouth-east,creatingarainshadowthatblocksandabsorbssoutherlyfronts,makingCentralOtagoNewZealand’sdriestarea.
Kopuwai’s16,780hectaresbecameconservationlandfromtenurereviewoutcomesandlandpurchase.Itrunsfrom800metresabovesealevelto1,696metresattheObelisk/KopuwaiontheOldManRange.ThelongsummitcrestisexposedandhasanaverageannualtemperatureclosetozerodegreesC.Asaresulttherangesaredottedwithdistinctiveschistrocktorsandbisectedbyfieldsoffreeze-thawhummocksandmounds,creatingawave-likeeffectacrosstheslopesandbasins.
History
TheOldManRange’sEuropeanhistoryrevolvesaroundgoldminingandfarming.ExtensivegolddepositswerefoundinPottersNo2,FraserBasinandOmeoGully.Theywerechallengingplaceswithharshwintersthat
killedmanyminers.Fromthelate1800’smostoftheuplandprovidedsummergrazingforsheepandcattlefromEarnscleughStationandneighbouringpastoralleases.Thiscontinuestodayonpartsoftheconservationarea.
Recreation
WithinKopuwaiConservationAreayoucanroamatwillonfoot.Thehummockfields,tops,andvalleysprovideawiderangeofrecreationandwildernessexperiences:mountainbiking,horseriding,4WDaccessonformedtracks,discoveringgolddiggings,cross-countryskiingandsightseeing.
NestledintherangesaretheheadwatersandalpinebasinsofCampbellCreekandthePomahakaandFraserRivers.Therangesarealsobisectedbysteepgulliesthataddtothearea’sremarkablediversity.HydeRock,forexample,hasspectacularviewsoftypicalKopuwailandscapes.Thisinvolvesashortwalkoutsidetheconservationarea,signpostedoverastile.
Hunting
Recreationaldeerhuntingisencouragedintheconservationarea–permitsfromDOC’sAlexandraoffice,alongwithaccessandhuntingareainformation.
Flora and Fauna
Thegroundcoverisdwarf,tundra-likevegetationofwind-blastedcushionplants.Alowgrowingdracophyllumdominatestheseareas,alongwithseveralmountaindaisies.Bluetussockisprevalent,withothersmallnativegrassesandoccasionalpatchesoftaller,slimsnowtussock.Lowerdown,narrow-leafedsnowtussockisdominant.
Snowcanlingerforseveralmonthsayear;wetsnowbankshostsmallcushion-formingherbs.Therearelargerwetlandsofbogs,seepagesandtarnsintheheadwatersoftheFraserRiverandCampbellCreek.
Theloweraltitudescrublandhoststhegreywarbler/riorio,silvereye/tauhou,Californianquailandotherintroducedbirds.Inopentussock:pipit/pïhoihoi,SouthIslandpiedoystercatcher/törea,bandeddotterel/tüturiwhatu,skylark,redpollandyellowhammer.TheAustralasianharrier/kähuiscommonandtherareNewZealandfalcon/käreareabothnestshereandsoarsoverhead.
TheOldManRangeisasub-alpineislandforlizardsandinvertebrates:beetles,grasshoppers,weta,spidersandmoths,manyfoundnowhereelseintheworld.Individuallyandcollectivelytheyhelpmaintainthenaturalbalanceofthisuniquelandscape.
Omeo Gully Track
OneofOtago’smostisolated,highest,least-knowngoldfields;thesix-hourreturnwalkissignpostedfromthecarparkonOmeoGullyRoad,akilometreupFraserDamRoad.Omeo’sgoldworkingsareinterestinganddistinctive:highsluicefaces,deeprevettedtailraces,tallstackedtailingsanddwellingremains.Mountainbikerswillenjoythewilddownhillrun,aftertheuphillgrind!Analternativetripisa90-minutereturnwalktoagoodlunchspotbythesecondfordoverOmeoCreek.
Closedbetween15Octoberand15Novemberforlambing.
Shek Harn Historic Reserve
TheroadtoShekHarn,offtheFraserDamRoad,isdryweatheronly.ThereturnwalkfromFraserDamtothereservetakesaboutanhour,withgoodviewsoftheFraserRivercascadingthroughadeepgorge.ShekHarnisCantoneseforbigstoneditch,andthehistoricreservehasmanyremnantsofearlyalluvialgoldworkingsandmainlyChinesedwellings.ThemostimpressiveistheLongHouse,abouttwokilometresaboveFraserDam.
Prospect Hill Track
Afavouritemountainbikingtripisgoingupthistrack,thencrossingoverandgoingdowntheOmeoGullyTrack.Ontopoftherange,therollingpatternsofspurandgully,tussockandherbfield,arepartofanextraordinarylandscape.TheviewincludestheManuherikiaBasinandtheOldWoman,Cairnmuir,DunstanandRaggedyRanges.FromtheFraserDamRoadtotheKopuwaiboundaryisasix-hourreturnwalk.
InwintertheProspectHillTrackprovidesaccesstotheSisters/RoughRidgecovenantforbackcountrySkiing.
Closedbetween15Octoberand15Novemberforlambing.
Obelisk Loop Track
Thisthree-hourreturnwalkfromKopuwai/TheObeliskjoinstheOmeoGullyandProspectHillTracks.ThetracktraversestherollingandrockyOldManRange,withgreatviews.
All the material on and around old gold diggings are protected by law. The removal of any object is illegal. Offenders will be prosecuted.
Artefacts on these sites have been security marked,though this is not visible to the naked eye.
Potters Number Two
PottersNumberTwoisintheCampbellCreekcatchment–PottersNumberOneis35kilometresawayintheCarrickRange.Anumberofalluvialgolddiggingswereworkedherebetweenthe1860sand1900sandinterestingrelicsremain.Notonconservationland,Pottersisaprotectedhistoricsite,reachedofftheWaikaiaBushRoadconnectingShingleCreekwithPianoFlatinSouthland.Ithasalwaysbeendifficulttogetto.In1863therewasapoledtrackovertheOldManRangeandinthatyear’s‘greatsnow’,30mendiedofexposure,attemptingtocrosstherangetosafety.
Alpine Battery
Thishistoricsitedatesbackto1882whenaten-stampbatteryandwaterwheelwereerectedhere.Thebatteryremainscanbereachedfromthe4WDroadontopoftherange.Thoughthereisn’tadefinedtrackthedescentonfoottakesaround30minutes.
Kopuwai/Obelisk
Thisdistinctiverocktoristheconservationarea’shighestpoint(1695m),withacommanding360°view.FromRakiura/StewartIslandinthesouth,easttotheRockandPillars,northtoAoraki/MountCook,thenMountsAspiring/TititeaandEarnslaw/Pikirakatahiinthewest.Atopanexposed,tree-lessrange,bepreparedforsuddenchangesintemperature.
Insummer,driveupSymesRoadfromtheFruitlandsturnoffandalongtheridgelinetrackontheOldManRangeforabouttwokilometrestotheObeliskviewpoint.Thelastsectionoftheroadissteepandrough;youmayprefertodothejourneyonfoot.2WDvehiclescanreachthetransmittersiteforaboutsixmonthsoftheyear,thoughit’sbettersuitedfor4WDs,theycanusuallygethereforeightmonthsayear.Inwintertheareaisblanketedinsnowforatleastthreemonths.
Donotparknearthetransmitterbuildingasvehicleelectronicscanbefrozenbythewavesitemits.
Protectplantsandanimals
Removerubbish
Burytoiletwaste
Keepstreamsandlakesclean
Takecarewithfires
Campcarefully
Keeptothetrack
Considerothers
Respectourculturalheritage
Enjoyyourvisit
Toitutewhenua(leavethelandundisturbed)
Walkingtrack
Trampingtrack
Route
Mountainbike
Vehicle
4wheeldrive